GNU bug report logs - #10127
24.0.91; wrong window width calc for `C-u C-x =' when *Help* in separate frame

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From: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: "'Eli Zaretskii'" <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 10127 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: bug#10127: 24.0.91; wrong window width calc for `C-u C-x =' when *Help* in separate frame
Date: Thu, 24 Nov 2011 11:08:59 -0800

> > There is no reason to base the display output width on the window
> > width of the current buffer - no relation.
> 
> How else would you suggest to make the text aligned nicely?  That's
> the intent, I believe.

Well, the bug describes how "nicely" the text is laid out now.

Keep it simple.  Do not try to second-guess where *Help* will be displayed or
how wide its window might be.  Keep the text in *Help* to the normal max width,
as much as possible.

There is nothing wonderful about this:

             foo: jkjkj
  something-else: lllmmnlkjlj
     and-another: hhhhhmlkklmkklj
 and-yet-another: 232iulkjlikjkm

This is just as readable:

 foo:             jkjkj
 something-else:  lllmmnlkjlj
 and-another:     hhhhhmlkklmkklj
 and-yet-another: 232iulkjlikjkm

So is this:

 foo            : jkjkj
 something-else : lllmmnlkjlj
 and-another    : hhhhhmlkklmkklj
 and-yet-another: 232iulkjlikjkm

And so is this:

 foo: jkjkj
 something-else: lllmmnlkjlj
 and-another: hhhhhmlkklmkklj
 and-yet-another: 232iulkjlikjkm

And so are other ways to display such info.  Besides, these are different fields
with different meanings - we are not aligning decimal points here.  Each field
is essentially a heading/term followed by a description.  This is a _description
list_.

There are many, many ways to display such info, and which do not require
calculating the window width.  We do the same kind of thing in our online
manuals, when we describe functions etc., and even when we list menu items.

Be less "clever".  Be more helpful to more users, who can have different
preferences for displaying *Help*.

Do not suppose that people use windows the same way you do.  *Help* is very
general, and is meant to be.  It needs to be versatile and simple, not cleverly
trying to adapt itself to the current window config.

Misguided - should be rethought along the lines of traditional Emacs *Help*
output - straightforward and simple.

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